Author Name: Jay Thomas Willis
Book Title(s): Implications For Effective Psychotherapy With African-Americans; As Soon as the Weather Breaks; The Cotton is High; Born to be Destroyed; Paranoid but not Stupid; Why Black Americans Behave as They Do; Hard Luck; When the Village Idiot Get Started; Educated Misunderstanding; The Devil in Angelica.
Marketing Subject: The Need for a Positive Presentation in Marketing, Otherwise You do Harm to Yourself Professionally
I had a rather mind-blowing experience a few weeks ago. Out–of-the-blue an interviewer from a national TV show emailed me a message about getting in contact with her. It seems that she wanted to interview me for her show. She had seen my books on my publisher’s Web site.
I’ve written 20+ books with Infinity Publishing since 1999. I had tried to market my books in several different ways, but had just about given up. I had given up to the extent that I had almost forgot about marketing my books, but I told her that I had allowed myself to gain some excess weight, and my teeth needed quite a bit of work. In other words, I expressed some doubt about being on her show. Even without these negatives I had shied away from radio and TV because of my tendency to stutter under pressure.
I felt that my presentation may not be good enough for TV at the present time. I expressed doubt that I would be able to generate any positive vibes from an interview on her show. I felt that way because I had gotten some negative vibes from previous attempts to market my books. People tended to look at me in disbelief.
So I hesitated for a brief moment. She saw through my hesitation and decided I might not work out on her show. I had neglected to point out that I tended to stutter, and had a touch of Parkinson. In addition, I have an annoying facial tic. All of these factors would detract from a TV interview, and might turn more people off than create positive energy. All of these things don’t keep me from being a good writer, but they could detract from a national TV presentation. People have certain beliefs about what a writer, professional, or celebrity should be like, and things they should or shouldn’t do.
I believe I have something positive to offer the world through my writings. Though, I have some qualities which may not make me a good television or radio personality. There are still those people who see a person who stutters as lacking in intelligence. Not to mention a person who is slightly nervous by nature, is over weight, and with disfiguring teeth. An individual must learn to utilize an approach to marketing that fits his own personal style; you must then put forth your best presentation and forge ahead.
There’re several lessons to learn from this scenario: Be prepared when the opportunity comes along, always be positive about that opportunity, and seize the moment when it occurs. Otherwise, don’t put yourself into situations that are going to reduce your positive standing with the media or people in general, and do more harm to yourself professionally than good. Everyone who has the ability to write will not make a good TV or radio personality. Stick with less personally involved ways of marketing your book if you feel you are going to discourage more people from buying your book than encourage to buy it. My scenario may be an unusual one for a writer, but do fit some writers.
